Farewell Athens, it’s time to head home

Athens turned on the sunniest day so far, for our last few hours of exploring. Once we were all packed up and ready to go, we headed out into the blue sunshine-y day.

First we walked south-west from our apartment, to the Koukaki area, where we hadn’t been before. It’s “Big Friday” here in Greece, so we weren’t sure what would be open, given that 99% of Greeks adhere to the Greek Orthodox faith, but there was plenty open as it turned out. The Greeks do love their tourists!

We did hear a few church bells during the morning, and then we came across a mass in one of the churches we passed by, so we popped in out of curiosity. Everyone was standing (no chairs), the priest was intoning and occasionally singing, there were periodic repetitions of three phrases in Greek after which the gathered crossed themselves, and otherwise there was some kissing of the displayed photos of icons in the foyer. We assumed it was some kind of Easter Friday mass.

Last night, in fact, as we walked back through the Plaka area, we came to the Athens Cathedral (Greek Orthodox, of course), otherwise known as The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. There was what we presumed to be an Easter preparation mass in progress, so we had a quick look and then moved on. We couldn’t understand a word of it, after all.

The only disappointment about leaving on “Big” (or Good) Friday, is that we learned from one of the locals that there are some Easter highlights on Friday evening. In particular, services are held in the afternoon, and the ritual of dressing the epitaph (tomb of Christ) with flowers takes place. The evening service, a solemn one, is then followed around 9pm by the epitaph being brought out of the church, to lead a candlelit procession through the streets, circling the church before returning to be rested. It happens at many churches and would have been lovely to see.

Not only that, but on Easter Saturday a unique flame called the Holy Fire, commemorating Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, arrives by special charter flight, direct from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and is delivered to another church in the Plaka area, for the lighting of 33 candles that are then distributed to other churches around Greece, and also shared with the pilgrims gathered in the church courtyard. That would have been impressive too.

Our last morning in Athens was spent meandering through now-familiar streets, watching some buskers, and having one last look at the street vendor merchandise (which seems to consist of roasted corn and chestnuts, gold Greek olive-leaf headbands and other jewellery, roasted nuts, and Acropolis-related paraphernalia). We passed on all of it.

Queue for the Acropolis this morning

A little later we lingered over coffee (as the Greeks love to do), did a bit of last minute shopping, and pitted the restaurant proprietors against each other for our lunch patronage. The winner convinced us about his chicken kebab with fries, pita and tzatziki!

One final check around the apartment and we headed across the street to where our cab driver, Lionadis, was waiting. Actually he wasn’t waiting for us, but we saw him waiting (outside the hotel opposite) a little earlier, and he was still there when we came out. As soon as he saw us with our suitcases, he flashed his headlights in our direction, and it was ON!

The airport is quite a way from the city, something we hadn’t realised when we arrived the first time, as our accommodation had been on the coast, really near to the airport (for the sake of convenience for the next morning’s 5.30am flight). The next time we arrived into Athens it was by ship, and then by ferry, both to the Piraeus port, much closer to the centre. The taxi ride took about 40 minutes, “fixed price, but if you like you can tip”. Okay, I guess we’re tipping then!

Down to our last 20 Euros cash, and we don’t want to bring much home, although the Euro is not a bad currency to have at the moment, compared to the dreadful Aussie dollar anyway. Today’s bank exchange rate was a measly 56.16 Euro cents for the dollar. Doesn’t bear thinking about really.

We’re looking forward to getting home, and so here we are sitting at Athens airport, waiting for our long - and longer - flights home.

Stay tuned for a wrap-up post in the next couple of days, when the jet lag fades!